One of Michigan State football’s leaders for the last few years has found a landing spot in the NFL. MSU safety Malik Spencer will be joining Michigan State center in the nation’s capital, signing with the Washington Commanders as an undrafted free agent.

We knew that there was interest in Spencer from the NFL clubs, as the Patriots hosted him for a 30 visit before the NFL Draft. Instead, it was the Commanders who swooped in and grabbed the former Spartan.

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Spencer was a four-year letterwinner with MSU and started in 29 games at safety, recording 173 career tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, and two interceptions.

The Commanders must have had some scouts around the MSU program, as they also used draft capital to bring in center Matt Gulbin, and now will add Spencer to their defense.

DETROIT (FOX 2) – Another former Michigan Wolverine was drafted by the Detroit Lions on Saturday as the fourth round kicked off the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.

The Lions selected linebacker Jimmy Rolder with the No. 118 overall pick in the fourth round.

With Alex Anzalone having departed Detroit, the Lions needed to find a successor at the position.

In 2025, Rolder played in 12 games for Michigan and led the Wolverines with 73 tackles. He also recorded two sacks, seven tackles for loss and an interception. He earned All-Big Ten honors, was a Butkus Award semifinalist and won the Roger Zatkoff Award, given to Michigan’s most outstanding linebacker.

It marks back-to-back selections of former Wolverines for the Lions. The team traded up to the No. 44 overall pick Friday night to select Rolder’s teammate, edge rusher Derrick Moore, in the second round. Moore had 10 sacks in 2025 and joins fellow Wolverine Aidan Hutchinson on the Lions’ defensive line.

Lions trade up to pick Michigan’s Derrick Moore

The Lions on Friday traded up to the no. 44 overall spot and made their second-round pick, choosing Michigan edge rusher Derrick Moore. Moore had 10 sacks in the 2025 season, joining fellow Wolverine Aidan Hutchinson on the Lions defensive line. According to his scouting report, Moore is effective with a bull rush, consistently generating pressure and sacks. In 2025, he was a first-team All-Big Ten selection, recording 10.5 tackles for loss.

First Round Pick:

On Thursday, the Lions opened the 2026 NFL Draft by selecting Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller with the No. 17 overall pick.

Miller, from Strongsville, Ohio, played for Clemson from 2022-25 and set the program record for career snaps from scrimmage with 3,778 over 54 games.

What’s next:

The Lions have two picks in the fifth round (Nos. 157 and 181 overall), two picks in the sixth round (Nos. 205 and 213 overall) and one pick in the seventh round (No. 222 overall).

Jaishawn Barham, who made the move from linebacker to edge rusher early last season, was the third Michigan player selected on Day 2 of the NFL Draft.

Barham was selected in the third round by Dallas with the 92nd overall pick on Friday night. Edge Derrick Moore was the first Michigan player taken in the draft, selected in the second round at No. 44 overall by Detroit. Tight end Marlin Klein went late in the second round at No. 59 overall to Houston. Moore, Barham and Klein were projected Day 2 selections.

By late September last season, Barham, who was nicknamed “Superman” by former interim head coach Biff Poggi and “Killa” by offensive lineman Nathan Efobi, had moved to edge.

“That’s ‘Killa’ right there, the man who doesn’t smile,” Efobi said jokingly to reporters last season. “I’ve gotten him to laugh a couple times, just by me being me. But that’s ‘Killa’ — always serious, always ready to hit somebody, always ready to kill at any moment.”

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Barham transferred to Michigan from Maryland and played his final two seasons for the Wolverines. He finished with four sacks and was honorable mention All-Big Ten last season. Former Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale was asked last season about Barham’s intimidating demeanor.

“That’s who he is. That’s his personality,” Martindale said last fall. “I think some people take him being quiet and just looking at you as being mean, and he’s just trying to figure people out just like we all do. But he hits, and those guys are unique. Once you get to know him, it’s a back and forth, it’s a trust, it’s a relationship. And he’s fun to be around. But if anything happens, I’m glad he’s on my side.”

NFL Network’s draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said recently on a conference call with reporters that several NFL teams he spoke with liked Barham because he’s still new to the position and can be developed.

achengelis@detroitnews.com

@achengelis